UAE Armed Forces & Defense Account Executive
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About the company:
Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.
Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.
Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.
As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.
We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.
Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.
About the Role:
Based in the UAE (Abu Dhabi preferred), the UAE Armed Forces & Defense Account Executive will manage Planet’s strategic relationship with the UAE Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and allied defense and national security stakeholders. Additionally, you will drive customer acquisition and expansion for Planet’s broad-area monitoring, high-resolution tasking, and automated search capabilities across the Emirates in line with regional business objectives.
The ideal candidate is a driven, results-oriented sales and capture professional with deep familiarity with the UAE defense ecosystem and an aptitude for translating mission requirements into commercial capability solutions. This individual will possess solid commercial acumen, an understanding of sovereign operational priorities, and the ability to operate effectively within a dynamic, matrixed environment.
This is a full-time, remote role requiring frequent local presence and direct stakeholder engagement in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE.
Impact You’ll Own:
- Strategic Account & Relationship Ownership: Own and advance Planet’s relationships across the UAE Armed Forces, Joint Operations Command, Ministry of Defence, and relevant national security entities. Partner closely with Professional Services and Customer Success to ensure flawless capability adoption, operational utility, and high customer retention.
- Pipeline Acceleration & Deal Execution: Identify, qualify, negotiate, and close high-value, complex deals to expand the deployment of satellite imagery, automated analytics, and AI-enabled earth observation solutions across sovereign defense accounts.
- Sovereign Defense Program Capture: Target and capture current and upcoming defense programs of record, joint procurement opportunities, and strategic initiatives in partnership with key regional defense primes and system integrators (e.g., EDGE Group, local sovereign entities).
- Quota Delivery & Forecast Governance: Consistently meet or exceed assigned regional revenue quotas. Maintain rigorous pipeline hygiene in Salesforce.com and provide predictable quarterly and annual revenue forecasts to regional leadership.
- Mission Alignment & Technical Understanding: Develop and maintain a solid technical command of Planet’s Earth Observation (EO) constellation, analytics feeds, and AI capabilities to effectively map them against military ISR and border/maritime surveillance priorities.
- Cross-Functional Pursuit Collaboration: Partner seamlessly with Pre-Sales/Solutions Engineers to deliver compelling demonstrations, architect custom technical proposals, and secure the technical win with senior military and procurement stakeholders.
What You Bring:
- 6+ years of relevant operational or technical experience within the defense, intelligence, or national security sectors (e.g., military staff, defense procurement, or government defense contracting).
- 6+ years of enterprise SaaS, DaaS, or geospatial data sales experience, carrying an individual quota and a consistent track record of closing complex, multi-year government deals.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, international relations, or a related discipline (or commensurate professional experience).
- Deep understanding of UAE government and defense procurement cycles, evaluation boards, and the acquisition nuances required to navigate multi-agency approvals.
- Ability to source opportunities, conduct deep mission discovery, manage multi-stakeholder relationships, and navigate structured pricing negotiations.
- Experience managing and reporting pipeline health accurately using Salesforce.com or similar CRM systems.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, adept at briefing both senior military leadership and technical/operational end-users.
- A self-starter capable of operating independently under tight deadlines and delivering results in a dynamic, high-growth environment.
What Makes You Stand Out:
- An established, trusted network across the UAE Armed Forces branches (Land Forces, Air Force & Air Defence, Navy, Presidential Guard), the MoD, and sovereign defense ecosystem leaders.
- Direct operational or commercial background in Earth Observation (EO), Remote Sensing, GIS/C4ISR systems, or military space operations.
- Professional fluency in Arabic and English (spoken and written), enabling effective engagement with high-ranking military commanders and senior government officials.
- Master’s degree or professional certifications in defense studies, aerospace/geospatial engineering, or business administration.
Application Deadline:
11:45p / 23:45 CET on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been received. For this reason, we recommend applying as soon as you are able to.
Benefits While Working at Planet:
These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.
- Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
- Employee Wellness Program
- Home Office Reimbursement
- Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
- Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
- Equity
- Volunteering Paid Time Off
#LI-REMOTE
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Why we care so much about Belonging.
We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.
EEO statement:
Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.
Accommodations:
Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [email protected] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.
Privacy Policy: By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.
Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.
AI in Our Interviewing Process: Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.
Candidate AI Policy: Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [email protected] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.
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